The wind and the water, and the boate wagging, Make a man many time, to fall and to stand, For stand he never so stiff, he stumbleth if he move, And yet is he safe and sound, and so him behoveth, For if he ne arise the rather, and raght[12] to the steer, The wind would with the water the boat overthrow, And then were his life lost through latches[13] of himself. And thus it falleth,' quod the friar, 'by folk here on earth, The water is lik'ned to the world, that waneth and waxeth, The goods of this world are likened to the great waves That as winds and weathers, walken about, The boat is liken'd to our body, that brittle is of kind, That through the flesh, and the fraile world Sinneth the sadde man, a day seven times, And deadly sin doeth he not, for Dowell him keepeth, And that is Charity the champion, chief help against sin, For he strengtheth man to stand, and stirreth man's soul, And though thy body bow, as boate doth in water, Aye is thy soule safe, but if thou wilt thyself Do a deadly sin, and drenche[14] so thy soul, God will suffer well thy sloth, if thyself liketh, For he gave thee two years' gifts, to teme well thyself, And that is wit and free-will, to every wight a portion, To flying fowles, to fishes, and to beasts, And man hath most thereof, and most is to blame But if he work well therewith, as Dowell him teacheth.' 'I have no kind knowing,' quoth I, 'to conceive all your wordes And if I may live and look, I shall go learne better; I beken[15] the Christ, that on the crosse died;' And I said, 'The same save you from mischance, And give you grace on this ground good me to worth.' And thus I went wide where, walking mine one By a wide wilderness, and by a woode's side, Bliss of the birdes brought me on sleep, And under a lind[16] on a land, leaned I a stound[17] To lyth[18] the layes, those lovely fowles made, Mirth of their mouthes made me there to sleep. The marvellousest metelles mette[19] me then That ever dreamed wight, in world as I went. A much man as me thought, and like to myself, Came and called me, by my kinde[20] name. 'What art thou,' quod I then, 'thou that my name knowest?' 'That thou wottest well,' quod he, 'and no wight better.' 'Wot I what thou art?' Thought said he then, 'I have sued[21] thee this seven years, see ye me no rather?' 'Art thou Thought?' quoth I then, 'thou couldest me wyssh[22] Where that Dowell dwelleth, and do me that to know.' 'Dowell, and Dobetter, and Dobest the third,' quod he, 'Are three fair virtues, and be not far to find, Whoso is true of his tongue, and of his two handes, And through his labour or his lod, his livelod winneth, And is trusty of his tayling,[23] taketh but his own, And is no drunkelow ne dedigious, Dowell him followeth; Dobet doth right thus, and he doth much more, He is as low as a lamb, and lovely of speech, And helpeth all men, after that them needeth;